Pernambuco ordered to indemnify man wrongfully imprisoned

The State of Pernambuco has been ordered to pay R$ 30,000 in compensation to Antônio Severino de Souza, who was wrongfully incarcerated for 12 days. Souza, 40, was arrested at his workplace in Recife on January 9, 2025, under suspicion of involvement in a 2022 homicide and attempted homicide.

The arrest was based on an incorrect identification linking him to a criminal alias. Following legal action, a police report acknowledged that a survivor may have misidentified him. Souza reported harsh conditions during his detention, including sleeping on the floor of a crowded cell.

The Pernambuco State Attorney General's Office has filed an appeal, arguing that the arrest did not constitute "dolo, má fé ou erro grosseiro indenizável" (intent, bad faith, or compensable gross error). Meanwhile, the Social Defense Secretariat has initiated a preliminary investigation into the case.